This is a high chair with a lot of neat features. It grows with your child you see. In fact, it’s simply a really ingenious design - it’s modular and becomes a chair that can adapt to bigger heights and weights. To top it off, it’s got a great look and comes in a variety of beautiful wood colors.

Let us hammer out some facts. It is made of cultivated beachwood. It’s got a seven year guarantee on all the wood parts. It has an adjustable set of heights with a stable footrest. It’s got a nice five point safety harness. Ergonomics play a big part as it is designed to be very stable and supportive. No wobbly weirdness is likely here.

And believe it or not, it can hold three hundred pounds. Plenty enough for the men in your life to even take a seat on it. You may think they need it at times after the mess they make. Or even after the tantrums they may throw now and then: Wahhh. Hah! But then again us gals are perfect right? Right.

The chair is quite stylish and I know a couple moms that have it. I have this model myself as well. I alternate using this along with using a connector chair to the kitchen island that works well for us. But really this is a great product. It comes in seven “classic colors”. Five wooden tones and a bright red and turquoise are also options. Then there are four stylish “trend collection” colors. These include yellow, pink, green and gray. If you have a more mod house or certain pieces of furniture that are more contemporary, then this Tripp Trapp high chair will fit seamlessly right into your décor.

The standard chair comes with the wood seat only so you’ll probably be interested in getting a nice cushion. They have a number of patterns and options. There’s also a Baby Set which has the bucket seat and more supportive leg holes. With this chair, there is no food tray. Sounds odd but with this arrangement it is not necessary as the child can really be at the height of most normal tables.

You can be sure you’re getting a really great product as the German magazine Test (similar to the US Consumer Reports magazine) rated the Tripp Trapp highchair best in the highchair category test seven years in a row. To me, I really like the height that the chair can reach as the child is really on par with the adults and can interact in a more direct manner rather than looking up at those at the table. This is a fine choice and I’ve been happy with the purchase for my needs.

Svan is the Swedish word for swan. The company states that the curves of the main wood beam frame led to the name concept, and they also officially say that their chair is meant to grow with the child from six months all the way to adulthood. The seat and footrest are both adjustable so that your kid can be equal to the others at the table. The difference between this and the Tripp Trapp is that there is a feeding table on the Svan, whereas the Tripp Trapp expects the users to put the high chair by the big table. By big table I mean up to a standard table height of around thirty inches. The Svan then can be a little farther pushed away from the big table as it has its own tray. Some parents may prefer one method over the other, or even experiment with both by removing the Svan table as needed. The tray is totally dishwasher safe as well.

Svan does require you to use a allen key (one of those s-shaped hexagon small assembly tools) in order to adjust the full chair height. They state this is actually safer so no one accidentally drops the seat or changes the seat angle quickly and thus avoiding any potential problems.

A three point safety harness centered on the waist and legs is used. The chair is also very environmentally and chemically friendly. It is Phtalate-free and all cushions, which are available separately in lots of color and style options, are PBDE-free as well.

Because the high chair can turn into a regular desk chair by simply rearranging the pieces, it is extremely sturdy and can hold up to 250 pounds. The total weight of the highchair with all the infant accessories like the kit and seat cushion is only twenty pounds. So it’s very movable around the house and easily stored. This chair has not been noted as extremely stable compared to other models though when in the standard position, so be sure to research carefully. While your child’s baby clothes may unavoidably get some food and drink stains, that’s understandable. But you certainly want to make sure you’re satisfied with the stability and security of the high chair you are purchasing.


There is a full two year warranty on the entire chair. Svan has a nice website which also clearly demonstrates the versatility of the chair through the different stages. It’s an all around excellent choice for parents who wants a stylish alternative to the bulky typical high chair that’s hard on the eyes. The added bonus of turning into a full size regular wood desk chair is obviously a nice selling point as well. You certainly can’t do that with your garden-variety large plastic unit from years past.

Count me in this group. Well, although I do own a high chair myself (the Stokke Tripp Trapp), I also wanted to have a more portable and simple option. There may be a lot of people who choose to skip the traditional full-size high chair entirely. Their reasons may include the fact that they dislike an ugly chair taking up a large amount of space. Or that it’s too hard to clean. And that is a perfectly good reason. Especially because now there is a valid set of models and alternatives to a large chair.

Namely I’m speaking about a clamp-on or a travel high chair. These simply have a set of suction cups plus a vice grip setup on each arm. They are quite sturdy. Most can hold between 30 and 50 pounds. The advantages include the ability for the little boy or girl to freely swing their legs. And they get to sit at any counter that accommodates enough room underneath for the grips’ length.

The other bonus is that kids can now sit at the increasingly common kitchen islands. Some families have large granite, marble, Corian or other style countertops and they typically have tons of room underneath for these simple high chairs to easily fit. Not to mention that they fold down extremely small and portable.

The downsides are that sometimes the grips can scratch the underside of the attached tables. Especially if its a fairly porous or soft wood. As the child moves around and the grips move ever so slightly, it will likely leave marks on the wood. This is where the families need to explore all the travel high chair options. Some will clearly work better for a particular table than others depending on all the dimensions.

You’re not going to get any reclining options or a footrest with these models. You have to factor that in. The baby may be a bit more uncomfortable as these have less padding in most cases than a full high chair with a premium cushion. And in some cases depending on table thickness, there just won’t be a snug fit for the clamps and chair, or in fact the chair clamps won’t open wide enough to insert on the table edge.

Again on the good side however, if you are out at a eating establishment or over at another house that does not have a high chair, you can easily assemble this and have a great option for the child to eat with all the family members. And in a restaurant, you can avoid wondering how many children have sat on the same high chair and the level of cleanliness the chair may or may not have. Regardless of the big chair you may have or are considering, this gives you another viable alternative.

I can tell you right at the start that this is one of the most expensive highchairs out there. It retails for around $370. While it has a modern look, it also harkens back to a barstool or diner stool feel as well. This is because the base is extremely large and sturdy, just like you’d imagine in a 50s diner barstool. And it is silver at the base too.

The pedestal in fact is on six caster wheels which can easily move the chair around without lifting. When you find the spot for the high chair, it’s a simple matter of locking the brakes and then it stays put.

Height is fully controllable by a pneumatic lift. It is a fun concept and very easy to operate. The Flair Elite also makes a point of having no hard-to-reach crevices in cleaning up after your child. Some high chairs are notorious for having food bits getting stuck in difficult edges on the food tray or in parts of the unit. I know I appreciate not spending five extra minutes pushing the washcloth in or getting out the little vacuum suction device in order to constantly clean up old crumbs!

This is not a chair that will grow with the child however. As the maximum weight load tops out at 50 pounds, after a few years this will probably not stay in your kitchen as an architectural centerpiece. So the practical side of this chair is limited. It is frankly more of an aesthetic appeal than a purely utilitarian one. But nevertheless, it’s gonna fit in great with some lifestyles. Plus it’s just plain fun to look at. I dig it myself. For me however, it doesn’t go at all with my house or my furniture style. Then again, sometimes we fret over things that don’t matter so much. If you like it, then go for the purchase, because before you know it your high chair kid will be a teenager and then things like a kids GPS might be on your shopping list instead of baby high chairs!

The Boon probably elicits more wild opinions about it than most other chairs, simply because of its unique design. It’s going to have some in the “love it” camp and others in the “hate it” camp, and probably not a lot in between.

What are some of the major brand names in this market? Most people are familiar with Graco, Peg Perego, Stokke, Evenflo, Fisher-Price, and Eddie Bauer. Simply because these names also make a wide variety of other baby and family products ranging from strollers, toys and baby bottles. Combi, Baby Trend, Chicco, Svan, Kolcraft and Zooper also specialize in baby high chairs.

You are going to have to spend at least $50 for a decent chair at minimum. Having a hand-me-down from friends or family is a free option, and no harm in saving some bucks and going that route. But at the low end of the spectrum, you’re only going to get a plastic seat that’s not so comfy, a metal frame, and a tray. Adjustments to these types of models will be limited. Nonetheless, it is certainly adequate for feeding and holding a baby during mealtime, so it will do the job.

One thing I’ve noticed in the stores about some of the cheaper brands is that you have to watch out for the extended dimensions of the frames. Some stick out and seriously could be a problem for a busy parent walking around the side and tripping over it. Or even kicking it accidentally and then potentially knocking over the entire unit. Definitely something you want to avoid.

As you move up the quality high chair ladder, naturally you are going to see better quality components, more features, and more comfort for the child. Sure, you can spend less and put that money toward other room items such as baby furniture changing tables. But quality is something to consider too.

There will be finer wood and craftsmanship in all the details of the chair (not guaranteed, but certainly more likely). Some have a much wider variety of cloth seat options that are easily washable or wipeable. Depending on your home and furnishings and the importance you place on the unit matching up with the rest of your house, you may want to select such a chair to better fit with your kitchen or family room. Several of the chairs morph into items that go beyond a standard highchair like turning into a desk chair, or a rocking chair. These therefore have a much longer practical lifespan.

Talk with others who’ve had experience with some chairs, go and ask good questions with store staff, and check out as much as you can. The more informed you are, the wiser you will be and the better you can make an education selection.